Commercial office and retail development with articulated facade and earthquake resilient design Calder Stewart undertook the construction

The rebuild of inner-city Christchurch comes with the imperative for a new breed of architecture. Seismic resistance is integral to all new post-2011 buildings, but it doesn't come at the expense of eye-catching design it takes a skilled construction company to seamlessly marry the two.

Calder Stewart Construction was the main contractor for the clean-lined 351 Lincoln Rd complex. The private development offers 3600m² of commercial and retail space over five levels, together with a two-level carpark.

Completed in late 2013, this project was a team effort from the word go, says Calder Stewart's regional manager Adrian Mathieson.

"We were a natural choice as a construction partner, since our team has worked well with developer David Sloan and his meticulous approach to design and construction on previous projects."

Clad in aluminium composite and semi-reflective glass, the complex features distinctive cantilevered floor space and localised sun louvres. The articulated facade makes a strong architectural statement along Lincoln Road.

And then there's what lies beneath. Concrete reinforced shear walls and steel framing provide a solid shell for 351, at the same time, bringing lightness and strength to the entire structure making it a robustly earthquake-resistant IL3-rated building.

"The project's scope and design called on all our technical abilities," says Mathieson. "The 14m-deep pile foundation, insitu shear walls and extensively detailed exterior really kept us on our toes."

Calder Stewart is currently working on other commercial projects in the inner city, at 299 Durham St and the new Vodafone headquarters in Tuam St.

For details, contact Calder Stewart Industries Ltd, Aon House, 388 Blenheim St, Christchurch, phone (03) 338 0013. Website: www.calderstewart.co.nz

Story by: Trendsideas